The present invention relates generally to trade show booths, and more particularly to a panel for a display structure and trade show booth.
In the past, most trade shows were for wholesalers who required only a table to display a few samples of their goods. Over time, these trade shows have become major exhibitions for both wholesalers and retailers to bring all their goods to the view of the purchasing public and even to make sales with large displays and large booths.
The earlier solutions for booths usually covered an area of approximately ten feet by ten feet and were relatively flimsy in construction. Various types of hinged and screwed-together structures were developed. However, none of these booths were intended for large areas, which are greater than twenty feet by twenty feet.
To meet the requirements of larger areas, larger and stronger booths were required. This resulted in heavier booths which required assembly. The booths were so heavy that several standard four by four by six foot crates were required to transport the components. The crates were expensive to ship and required lift-trucks to move them to the booth area in a trade show.
Further, the larger booths required a great deal of manpower at the trade show in order to lift the various components into place and then to assemble them. Often tools and complex instructions for the workers at the trade show were required.
The larger booths were expensive and often not cosmetic on the reverse side. In order to render the back side colorful and presentable, additional components were required
Finally, the larger booths were inflexible and did not allow multiple configurations, which would be required because of the different products being presented or the location on the trade show floor.
While the larger trade shows have been going on for many years, a trade show booth has long been desired which would be capable of covering a large area, but remain flexible both in size and in multiple configurations. Ideally, the components could be packed into standard size crates and preferably one crate, so as to be inexpensive for storage and shipment purposes. Each component of the system would ideally have a weight of less than fifteen pounds to minimize labor and assembly costs and require no additional tools for assembly. A design, which would be good in appearance both front and back and be flexible in color, has long been desired. Finally, the ideal system would be relatively inexpensive. Unfortunately, a trade show booth, which could meet these requirements, has long been sought but has equally long eluded those skilled in the art.
The present invention provides a panel, which is a building block, for a trade show booth or office cubicle. Each panel includes a support structure having rails secured to the edges. Each rail has magnetic fastening strips and metal guidance blades disposed in lengthwise extending slots, which engage with similar structures in other panels or other rails. Separate rails have mutually engageable lobes and lobe-engaging openings to allow a plurality of panels to be placed in any trade show booth configuration. The invention provides a trade show booth flexible in size and configuration, and lightweight in construction, which minimizes labor, assembly time, and cost.
The present invention further provides a trade show booth or office cubicle built from panels. Each panel includes a support structure having rails secured to the edges. Each rail has magnetic fastening strips and metal guidance blades disposed in lengthwise extending slots, which engage with similar structures in other panels or other rails. Separate rails have mutually engageable lobes and lobe-engaging openings to allow a plurality of panels to be placed in any trade show booth configuration. The invention provides a trade show booth flexible in size and configuration, and lightweight in construction, which minimizes labor, assembly time, and cost.